Reversible seat



Get. 17, 1939. R. BURNHAM REVERSIBLE SEAT Filed Dec. l2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l arl/egg Oct. 17, 1939. R. BURNHAM REVERSIBLE SEAT Filed Dec. l2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. I7-, 1939'. R. BURNHAM REVERSIBLE SEATY Filed Deo. l2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 17, 1939 R. BURNHAM REVERSIBLE SEAT 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Deo. 12, 195e lil ,ww n TW/7% @M O w Oct. 17, 1939. n. BURNHAM REVERSIBLE SEAT Filed Dec. l2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE SEAT Raymond Burnham, Chicago, Ill., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to S. Karpen & Bros., a corporation of Illinois Application December 12, 1936, Serial No. 115,621

15 Claims.

. This invention relates to a reversi-ble seat particularly adapted for use in railway coaches and buses, but the invention may be usefully employed elsewhere.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved seat which can be readily reversed in direction and which will be laterally shifted during such reversal. Another object is to provide a reversible seat construction which is sturdy and operates smoothly without excess strain on any of its parts. A specific object is to provide a reversible seat in which a set of gears is utilized for laterally shifting the seat as it is rotated in reversal. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved structure, the cushions and chair frame being omitted and the gears shown in dotted lines, this View indicating the position of the parts when theseat is in normal position;4 2, a side elevational View, the cushions and chair frame being broken away; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view, the section being taken as indicated atv line 3-3 in Fig. 1;' Fig. 3a, a detail sectional View of the locking pin, the section being taken as indicated at line 3&--3a of Fig'. 3; Fig. 4, a sectional View taken as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig.l5, a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 5-5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6, a sectional view taken as indicated at line 6-6 of Fig. 2, the supporting arms being shown in dotted lines, this view showing the parts as they 'appear after the seat has started to rotate in reversal; Fig. '7, a view similar to Fig. '6, but showing the parts as they appear after the seat has rotated through Fig. 8, a plan view of a group of seat structures, the base of one of the seats being indicated in dotted lines, this seat being in normal position; Fig. 9, a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the position of the seat after it has been turned through 45; and Fig. 10, a view similar Ato Fig.l 8, but showing the position of the parts after the seat has been turned through 90.

In the embodiment illustrated, A designates a base; B, a chair supporting member; C, mechanism for shifting the supporting member as it is rotated; and D, means for locking the supporting member in one of its lateral positions.

The base A may in general be of any suitable structure or material. In the form illustrated, it is rectangular in shape and has side walls III which are joined at their top with a flat top or table II. Centrally located in table II is a circular opening I2, and near its forward and rearward edges are grooves I3 extending from one side of the base to the other. Above table I| is a plate I4 which rests fiush on the surface of table `5 II and has ridges I5 which engage grooves I3. At the side edges of plate I4 are the rails i6 and I'I which hold a top plate I8 slidably on plate I4. Top plate I8 is allowed to slide forwardly and rearwardly on plate I4 and plate I4 is allowed to f10 slide laterally of table I I. .As more clearly Shown in Fig. 4, plate I4 is provided with a central opening I9 which is circular in form except for the apertured ear 2U.

The frame supporting member B may comprise 15 front and rear arms 2| and 22 which are adapted to be fastened to the underside of the chair frame 68 by bolts 6| or other suitable fastening means. The hub 23, from which arms 2| and 22extend, contains a central opening 24a in which a pivot 220 pin 24 is journaled. The underside of hub 23 is recessed and contains a ring gear 25 which is secured to hub 23 by keys 26. The outside walls of hub 23 rest upon top plate I8 of the base A and are in rotatable engagement with the top surface of this plate. The lugs 63 and 64 on the outside of hub 23 engage rail I'I and act as stops to prevent rotation of member B beyond its normal or reversed positions.

The mechanism C for shifting the supporting member comprises the pivot pin 24 which is received within opening 242L of member B and within opening 24b of top plate I8 and is rotatably engaged with both member B and top plate I8. Secured to pin 24 andl above top plate I8 is a sun gear 2l which has one-half as many teeth as does the ring gear 25. Planet gears or pinions 28 in toothed engagement with gears 2l and 25, have the lower ends of their shafts journaled in openings 29 of top plate I8, and have the upper ends of their shafts journaled in a triangular bearing piece 30 which is in rotational engagement with pin 24.

At its lower end pin 24 is rigidly secured to an edge portion of the circular disk 3| Which has its edges in contact with the edges of opening I2 in table II. The lower portion of pin 24 extends through opening 32 near the edge of circular disk 3l and is secured by nut 34 and washer 33, the nut serving to pull shoulder 35 of the pin firmly against the top of disk 3|. Other means of securing the pin may, of course, be used.

At the rotational center of disk 3| is an opening 36 which is adapted to receive the locking pin 3l. Locking pin 3l extends through disk 3|,

through hole 38 in plate I4, and through hole 39 in top plate I8. A reduced extension 48 of pin 31 extends into one of recesses 4| in the walls of hub 23. 'The lower portion of locking pin 31 is equipped with a heel 42 and a narrow iin 43 more clearly shown in Fig. 3a. vI-Ieel 42 is adapted to t intosocket 42a, and fin 43 is adapted to lit into the narrower socket 43a of .the disk 3|. A lever 44, which is pivotally connected at 45 with the base A, is attached at its one end to the lower portion of locking pin 31 by connect- Hand laterally, and to do this plate 98 moves forwardly on plate I4 and between rails- |6 and ing pin 46, and at its other end is connected with one end of treadle lever 41 by connectingpin 48.'4 Treadle lever 41 extends throughopening 49 in.

the wall of base A and is Yfulcrumed atears 50 on wall |U by connecting pin 5|. Pin 31 is urged upwardly into locking position which bears against lever 44.v

Operation Fig. 8 of the 'drawings illustrates the'seatas it appears in normal or forward position, and in this position the various parts of the structure are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. It will benoted that stop 63 is resting against rail |1 and the chair 53 is facingsquarely forwardly with its end 54 immediately adjacent the side of the coach;Y locking pin 31 extends upwardly through disk 3|, through plates |4 and I8, and into recess 4I of hub 23,' securely locking the chair against movement in any direction. When a passenger wishes to reverse the seat, he may depress treadle 41 with his foot. This operates through lever 44 to move pin 31 downwardly and out of engagement with hub 213 and plates I4 and I8, and leaves supporting member B and disk 3| free to rotate. It will be seen, however, that the seat is not unlocked and none of the parts are free to rotate Yuntil pin-31 has been withdrawn completely from the hub 23 and both plates.

After the passenger has depressed treadle 41 and rhas unlocked the seat, he may turn the seat in the direction indicated by the arrow 56 in Fig. 8. As the seat begins to turn, and as clearly shown in Fig. 6, supporting member B is caused to be shifted towardrv the aisle and away from the side of the coach. Such lateral shifting movement allows the corner of the chair 53 to pass the-side of the coach and permits the chair to be moved as indicated in Figs. 9 andY 10. As the chair is turned still farther it is shifted back again toward the yside of thev coach, and when lcompletely reversed in direction, the end 55 of the chair is immediately adjacent the side of the coach. When the chair has been completely reversed, the stopV 64 impinges rail |1 and stops further rotation of the chair. Also at this position, upon release of treadle 41 by the operator, therlocking pin 31 is urged upwardly by spring 52 into the openings in plates I4 and I8 and into recess 4| of hub 23 to rmly lock the seat in reversed position.

During the movement just described revolution has taken place about two dierent centers. Supporting member has been rotating about pin 24, and pin 24 has been rotating with disk 3| about the center of the disk. An analysis of the gearingY connection will disclose that the rotation o f member B about pin 24 is utilized to produce rotation of disk 3| to which pin 24 is eccentrically mounted. Y Y

Rotation of supporting member B about pin 24 in the direction of arrow 56 causes planet gears 28 to rotate by reason of their engagement by a .Spring 52 with ring gear 25 secured to hub 23. Rotation of planet gears 28 in turn causes rotation of sun gear 21 and pin 24, but in a direction counter to arrow 56. Pin 24 is Asecured to disk 3| and prevented from turning except upon rotation also of disk 3|. As disk 3| rotates in a direction counter to arrow 56, pin 24 is caused to move laterally and forwardly with respect to. baseV A in the path of an arc of a circle whose center is the center of disk 3|. Top plate I8, Vwhich receives pin 24, is also caused to move forwardly |1Vand causes plate |4 to move laterally, the

[ridges |5 sliding in grooves I3. 'Ihe ring gear 25 contains` twice-as many teeth as does the sun gear 21, so when the member B has been turned 45, gear 21 has been turned through 90 and the forward travel of the pin 24 has reached a maximum, but the lateral movement of the pin will not have reached a maximum until member B has been' turned Vthrough 90. After Vthe chair has been rotated throughV an'd'hasv reached the position shown in Fig. l0, further rotation causes pin 24to be moved rearwardlyV and laterally back towardthe side of the coach,and as rotation` approaches pinY 24 vis moving for'- wardly and laterally to its-original position.

As the supporting member B and 'chair 53 has revolved through the 180 necessary for complete reversal, the pin V24 and consequently disk 3| has revolved through '360 Yor one complete revolution. Thus, it is seen that all parts of the structure, except the chair 53 and supporting must fit into` their corresponding sockets in disk- 3|, and alsoy pin 31 must come into register with openings 38 and 40 of the plates |4 and |8. Until Vsuch a` position'is arrived at, the heel 42 of pin 31 will ride against disk 3| without being allowed tomove upwardly into locking engagement.

An important advantage is gained by reason of 'the fact that the rotation of the pin 24 Ais counter to the rotation of the chair aboutthe pin. Asrthe chair begins to rotate from its normal position as indicated in Fig. 8, the end 54 is moved rearwardly with respect to pin 24. But as this takes place, pin 24 is being rotated and caused to move forwardly, so that with respect to the side of the coach the initial movement of the chair is lateral and longitudinal. This is important as it allows the chair to be removed from the side of the coach before the corners of the chair can strike. Y

In this embodiment the weight of the passenger and chair is borne by the supporting'r member B, and transmitted through hub 23 through plates lvand I4 to the bottom of base A. It is understood, however, that other supporting means may be used. For example, disk 3L, of Vany suitable form and suitably reinforced,`may be centrally pivotedV and rotatably Supported within base A,

and the weight of the chair may beA transferred I claim:

1. A reversible seat comprising a base, a chair supporting member movable about a pivot point, and rotatable means engaging said member for moving said pivot point in a circular arc having a center fixed with respect to said base, said means being effective to move said pivot point through one revolution as said member is moved through a half revolution.

2. A reversible seat comprising a base, a chair supporting member movable about a pivot point, and means engaging said member and said base for moving said point in a circular arc having a center fixed with respect to said base, said means being effective to rotate said pivot point at a speed double the rotational speed of said member l about said point.

3. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member supported on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin with respect to said member as said member is rotated, and means for moving said pin laterally of said base as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is shifted in longitudinal as well as lateral directions as said pin is moved laterally on said base.

4. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member movably supported on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin through one revolution as said member is moved through one and a half revolutions with respect to said pin, and means for moving said pin laterally of said base as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is shifted in longitudinal as Well as lateral directions as said pin is moved laterally on said base.

5. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member movably supported on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin at double the speed of rotation of said member about the axis of said pin, and means for moving said pin laterally of said base as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is shifted in longitudinal as well as lateral directions as said pin is moved laterally on said base.

6. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member supported on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin as said member is rotated, and a member rigidly engaging said pin and rotatable with respect to said base, said last-mentioned member being eiTective to move said pin laterally of said base as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is shifted in longitudinal as well as lateral directions as said pin is moved laterally on said base.

'7. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin as said member is rotated, means for moving said pin laterally as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is caused to be moved longitudinally as well as laterally as said pin is moved laterally, and releasable locking mechanism for securing said member in selected positions.

8. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin as said member is rotated, means for moving said pin laterally as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is moved longitudinally as well as laterally as said pin is move-d laterally, and releasable locking mechanism for securing said member in selected positions, said locking mechanism being effective to secure said member in each of two positions apart.

9. A reversible seat comprising a base equipped with a laterally slidable plate and a top plate forwardly slidable on said first-mentioned plate, a pin carried by said top plate, a chair supporting member slidably supported on said top plate and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member and in said top plate, means engaging said supporting member and said pin for rotating said pin as said supporting member is rotated, and means for moving said pin laterally of said base as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is moved longitudinally of the base as well as laterally thereof as said pin is moved laterally of the base.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 in which said first-mentioned means includes a gear wheel having its axis of rotation secured in said top plate.

11. A reversible seat comprising a base, a pin movably carried by said base, a chair supporting member supported on said base and rotatably engaging said pin, said pin being journaled in said member, means engaging said member and said pin for rotating said pin as said member is rotated, and a circular disk engaging said base at its edges and rigidly secured to said pin at a point removed from its center whereby as said pin is moved laterally, said chair supporting member is moved longitudinally as well as laterally of said base.

12. A reversible seat comprising a base equipped with a laterally slidable plate having an opening therein and a top plate forwardly slidable on said first-mentioned plate, a chair supporting member rotatably supported on said top plate and rotatably engaging a pin, said pin being journaled in said member and in said top plate and extending through the opening in said rstmentioned plate, said member and said pin each being equipped with a toothed gear, a pinion engaging said gears and having its axis of rotation secured in said top plate, said pinion being adapted to cause rotation of said pin when said member is rotated, and a circular disk having its edges in slidable engagement with said base and being rigidly connected with said pin at a point removed from its center.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 and including a spring-pressed locking pin extending through openings in said disk and plates for releasably locking said .disk and plates in one position.

14. In a reversible seat of the character set forth, a base, a pin movably supported by said base, a chair supporting member rotatably enpin, said pin being journaled in saidmember, means'engaging said member and said pinv for rotating said pin as said member is rotated about said pin, said means being adapted to rotate said pin in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of said member about said pin, and means for moving said pin laterally of said base as said pin is rotated whereby said chair supporting member is moved longitudinally as well as laterally of said base as said pin is moved laterally of said base.

RAYMOND BURNHAM. 

